Raiders reportedly near deal for Seahawks quarterback Matt Flynn

The Raiders are closing in on a trade for veteran quarterback Matt Flynn, according to a CBSSports.com report Friday.

In turn, the Raiders will trade incumbent starting quarterback Carson Palmer to the Arizona Cardinals, a subsequent report by the same website said.

Flynn, who turns 28 in late June, has started only two games in his five NFL seasons, both during his four years with Green Bay, when current Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie was in the Packers' front office.

The Seattle Seahawks signed Flynn last offseason in hopes of him becoming their starting quarterback. That went by the wayside with the rapid ascension of Russell Wilson from a third-round draft pick to clear-cut No. 1 at training camp.

The Raiders are close to trading for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Flynn, according to reports. Flynn is shown here when he was the quarterback with the LSU Tigers, on Sept. 8, 2007. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The report said the trade likely will be consummated "in short order," though the Raiders say they won't comment on the report.

Trading for Flynn almost certainly would end Palmer's Raiders tenure, be it through release or trade.

Trading Palmer won't be easy, given his prohibitive contract. It would become easier if Palmer agrees to restructure his contract in advance. Palmer is scheduled to make a base salary of $13 million in 2013.

Flynn is scheduled to earn $5.25 million in base salary for 2013. Trading or releasing Palmer would compel the Raiders to absorb a $9.34 million hit against the salary cap, though they could push back all but $2.35 million of that figure into 2014 if they designate Palmer a post-June 1 cut.

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Flynn, 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, burst onto the scene when he passed for 480 yards and six touchdowns in the Packers' regular-season finale against the Detroit Lions on Jan. 1, 2012. He passed for 251 yards and three touchdowns in his only other start, in 2010 against the New England Patriots.

Last season, Flynn appeared in three games for the Seahawks. He completed 5 of 9 passes for 68 yards and no touchdowns.

The Packers selected Flynn in the seventh round of the 2008 draft. That same draft produced Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco in the first round.

Flynn has two years remaining on the three-year, $19.5 million contract -- $10 million of it was guaranteed -- he signed last offseason.